Names In The News

Asian Football Confederation President MOHAMMED BIN HAMMAM "has launched his campaign to unseat SEPP BLATTER as FIFA president by promising to double the funding every national association receives from the governing body." Bin Hammam said that he "would offer FIFA's 208 members an annual grant of $500,000 each, double the $250,000 they currently receive" (TELEGRAPH.co.uk, 3/18). Hammam has "promised to build his campaign on goalline technology and increased transparency." He said, "The view that FIFA is not transparent ... it hurts, you know?" (THETIMES.co.uk, 3/18).

NAMES: MICHAEL DREW SWEENY, the former GM for Centerplate's Denver operation, "pleaded guilty to Class 3 felony theft and appeared in court Thursday for sentencing" after he was found to have "embezzled more than $300,000" from the concessionaire (DENVER POST, 3/18)....Actor DAMON WAYANS has "finalized a deal to headline" the CBS comedy pilot inspired by COLIN COWHERD. The ESPN personality is a producer of the TV show, based roughly on his radio show (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 3/18)....A jury on Thursday "ruled in favor" of Cavaliers Owner DAN GILBERT and his Quicken Loans in a case over the company's overtime pay policy. The ruling means Quicken "will not be forced to pay the nearly 350 plaintiffs an additional half-time for their hours worked during their time at Quicken, avoiding" an estimated $4-30M in damages (CRAINSDETROIT.com, 3/17)....Colts Owner JIM IRSAY Monday night attended Midwest Fashion Week's event at Lucas Oil Stadium, "Monday Night Fashion: Where Sports and Fashion Collide." Irsay, on hand with daughters CASEY and KALEN, "donated $25,000 to Down Syndrome Indiana" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 3/17)....Magic Dir of Player Development ADONAL FOYLE celebrated his 36th birthday last week by "holding a pair of fundraisers to benefit the Kerosene Lamp Foundation, the nonprofit he created to help children" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 3/18)....Warriors G STEPHEN CURRY has signed on as a national spokesperson for ThanksUSA, an organization that provides money in scholarship aid to America's military families (THE DAILY).